Lack of infield heir apparents

[FanSince88]

The utter lack of a cost controlled SS/3B/2Bs to replace Manny and Schoop is inexcusable.  

We are in a position now where we must overpay in free agency or take a flyer on a retread to field a SS/3B next year.  

The year after that, we'll be in the same boat for 2B.

That's not even to mention depth -- of which there is none.  

A post-Manny and post-Schoop plan should have been in place at least a year ago, probably two.  

Beckham was a decent acquisition but not nearly enough.  He can't cover the entire left side of the infield and second base on his own.  And he's not even that good, he's just a guy -- serviceable glove, and you hope he can OPS somewhere in the 700s (but don't count on it this year).  

I must admit, I didn't fully appreciate how bleak the infield situation would look at this point.  But the warehouse should have seen this coming.  Even if we use our high draft picks on infielders this year and next, they probably wouldn't be MLB-ready until 2021 or so, and that's if everything breaks right.  In the meantime, for at least the next three years after this season, our infield is either going to field brutally or hit brutally, or both.  It will be an ugly, ugly sight.  

[sportsfan8703]

Damn this organization for not having an MLB ready replacement for a guy that’s having a triple crown season. Oh and he’s going to get paid $300 million. 

 

[OFFNY]

10 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

 

Damn this organization for not having an MLB ready replacement for a guy that’s having a triple crown season. Oh, and he’s going to get paid $300 Million. 

 

o

 

$275 Million, because he wants so badly to stay with the Orioles.

 

o

[panick]

38 minutes ago, FanSince88 said:

The utter lack of a cost controlled SS/3B/2Bs to replace Manny and Schoop is inexcusable.  

We are in a position now where we must overpay in free agency or take a flyer on a retread to field a SS/3B next year.  

The year after that, we'll be in the same boat for 2B.

That's not even to mention depth -- of which there is none.  

A post-Manny and post-Schoop plan should have been in place at least a year ago, probably two.  

Beckham was a decent acquisition but not nearly enough.  He can't cover the entire left side of the infield and second base on his own.  And he's not even that good, he's just a guy -- serviceable glove, and you hope he can OPS somewhere in the 700s (but don't count on it this year).  

I must admit, I didn't fully appreciate how bleak the infield situation would look at this point.  But the warehouse should have seen this coming.  Even if we use our high draft picks on infielders this year and next, they probably wouldn't be MLB-ready until 2021 or so, and that's if everything breaks right.  In the meantime, for at least the next three years after this season, our infield is either going to field brutally or hit brutally, or both.  It will be an ugly, ugly sight.  

I brought this up in a 2018 draft thread, and I was told that you don't draft based on need. I don't agree with that, especially when you have a minor league system like the O's do.

Are there even any of the top 15 prospects infielders?

[DirtyBird]

Just now, panick said:

I brought this up in a 2018 draft thread, and I was told that you don't draft based on need. I don't agree with that, especially when you have a minor league system like the O's do.

Are there even any of the top 15 prospects infielders?

The draft is a crapshoot. Adrian Marin was a 3rd round pick. Is there a middle infielder we should have taken in early rounds, but didn’t?

[waroriole]

It ain’t much better in the OF either. Or Catcher

[Legend_Of_Joey]

12 minutes ago, waroriole said:

It ain’t much better in the OF either. Or Catcher

........

I hope this is sarcasm.

The Orioles have guys developing at both (well, all 4) spots you mentioned that could all be in the majors at some point.

Middle infield is a weak spot.

Drew Dosch is the top guy at 3rd. Yeah, yeah, "but, but, BUT, RYAN MOUNTCASTLE!" How many people dread Valencia or Alvarez playing at 3rd because of their defense? Same thing. Mountcastle might have a better bat (look at how Hays and Sisco have done since coming to the majors after being regarded for the bat.)

Erick Salcedo can play shortstop. He doesn't hit that well though.

Adrian Marin can play second and short, yet doesn't hit that well.

Corban Joseph will probably just stay as depth, can play 3rd, and has been hitting.

Stevie Wilkerson screwed himself over, as he can play 3rd and was working at short, while being a switch hitter and a substance user.

Jomar Reyes has a cannon for an arm and a derringer for common sense and anger management. His swing isn't all that good the past few seasons either.

Chris Clare has started to pick things up, but probably won't "wow!" anyone.

Mason McCoy is coming around, but can get super streaky.

Trevor Craport can hit, but his fielding is in question.

Branden Becker got a LOT of praise from Brian Graham, but can't seem to establish himself.

Adam Hall is still in Extended Spring Training after playing only a few games last season in the GCL and not making a full season roster after camp.

[DirtyBird]

5 minutes ago, Legend_Of_Joey said:

........

I hope this is sarcasm.

The Orioles have guys developing at both (well, all 4) spots you mentioned that could all be in the majors at some point.

Middle infield is a weak spot.

Drew Dosch is the top guy at 3rd. Yeah, yeah, "but, but, BUT, RYAN MOUNTCASTLE!" How many people dread Valencia or Alvarez playing at 3rd because of their defense? Same thing. Mountcastle might have a better bat (look at how Hays and Sisco have done since coming to the majors after being regarded for the bat.)

Erick Salcedo can play shortstop. He doesn't hit that well though.

Adrian Marin can play second and short, yet doesn't hit that well.

Corban Joseph will probably just stay as depth, can play 3rd, and has been hitting.

Stevie Wilkerson screwed himself over, as he can play 3rd and was working at short, while being a switch hitter and a substance user.

Jomar Reyes has a cannon for an arm and a derringer for common sense and anger management. His swing isn't all that good the past few seasons either.

Chris Clare has started to pick things up, but probably won't "wow!" anyone.

Mason McCoy is coming around, but can get super streaky.

Trevor Craport can hit, but his fielding is in question.

Branden Becker got a LOT of praise from Brian Graham, but can't seem to establish himself.

Adam Hall is still in Extended Spring Training after playing only a few games last season in the GCL and not making a full season roster after camp.

Sign me up for Team McCoy

[Aristotelian]

Are we sure that Mountcastle can't play 2B? He is still playing infield this year. 

Certainly, if Manny is traded, SS and 3B will be on the wish list. 

[Legend_Of_Joey]

31 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

Are we sure that Mountcastle can't play 2B? He is still playing infield this year. 

Certainly, if Manny is traded, SS and 3B will be on the wish list. 

He can maybe play 2nd. @Luke-OH has expressed concerns about it before so he could go more in depth.

3rd, long term, does not seem like it will work.

[Luke-OH]

7 hours ago, Aristotelian said:

Are we sure that Mountcastle can't play 2B? He is still playing infield this year. 

Certainly, if Manny is traded, SS and 3B will be on the wish list. 

He won’t be good at second, but it’s possible he could play passably there. I was kind of hoping they’d work on shifting him there while he was on the DL. 

The only reason he was moved to 3B was in expectation of Manny leaving. Which I think is a terrible way to develop a top prospect.

The issue with the guys @Legend_Of_Joey listed is that other than Reyes (and he’s very high risk) and Hall (and he’s a long ways away) none of those guys profile as even a regular on a non-contending team.

So it’s a bunch of utility prospects, super fringy prospects, and non-prospects. You have to hope one breaks out and becomes something more. 

Dosch is worth mentioning because although he’s a fringe average 3B glove, with fringe power, with no positional flexibility (a combo that’s not thrilling at all), he has an above average hit tool and maybe, just maybe he’s one of those guys that will benefit from the MLB ball (you know the one that’s flying further than ever) and let some of his doubles and fly outs get out. I’d give him some MLB run if Manny is traded just in case, probably won’t be more than AAA depth but it’d be worth finding out.

 

 

[El_Duderino]

Seems premature to say Mountcastle can’t stick at 3rd or 2nd. 

 

All I read about Sisco for the past year was how he was going to struggle behind the dish. Seems fine so far. 

[Luke-OH]

10 minutes ago, El_Duderino said:

Seems premature to say Mountcastle can’t stick at 3rd or 2nd. 

 

All I read about Sisco for the past year was how he was going to struggle behind the dish. Seems fine so far. 

I’m definitely not saying for sure, but I’ve watched both play a bunch.

I was saying all last year and offseason that I thought he’d stick at C. I don’t think Mountcastle sticks at 3B, it’s not 0%, but it’s well below 50%. I was about 80% on Sisco sticking for comparison. 

[ChuckS]

This OP is ridiculous on so many levels. 

It's doubtful that we resign Manny.  But not impossible.  I'd say we have a better chance than about 25 other teams given our lack of financial commitments and ownership's propensity for ponying up for their own free agents.  

We could resign Schoop.    

It's possible we trade both of them and end up with their "heir apparents" in the return.  

A rebuilding team is going to have holes regardless, or else they would be a contending team.  So I don't get the point of this tirade. It doesn't make a huge difference whether those holes are at one position or another.  They will need to be filled over time, but it's not like we are going to be pushing for the playoffs in 2019 or 2020.  That's plenty of time to sign/trade/develop the next SS and 2B and no reason to overpay for stop gaps in free agency.  

[now]

A while back it was pointed out that most teams are finding their middle infielders in the international pool. So by looking at the draft we may be barking up the wrong tree. And yeah, there's always rebuilding positions thru trades.